XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: YourName@YourISP.com   
      
   Doc O'Leary wrote:   
   > "sna" wrote:   
   > > "J. Clarke" wrote   
   > > >   
   > > > When the train can take me from my garage to my office and stop off for   
   > > > groceries on the way home, all on my schedule, without my having to walk   
   > > > several blocks in the snow at each end or make several transfers, get   
   > > > back to me.   
   > >   
   > > Yeah, that one is never going to happen, even with the pod system.   
   >   
   > Only a fool would imagine that's a good idea in the first place.  Part   
   > of the beauty of a "pod" system is that it can not only abstract a   
   > transporter, but a replicator as well.  You need groceries?  You push a   
   > few buttons and it all gets sent *to* you!  Hell, we already have   
   > approximations of this with companies like Amazon.  The main thing   
   > stopping progress on improved logistics are the dopes who keep thinking   
   > they need to drive everywhere in cars to do things manually.   
      
   Amazon, and others, are working on having smaller items delivered by   
   autonomous flying drone (yet another reason flying cars are a silly   
   idea) ... so expect your next book order to be "delivered" to the   
   swimming pool in your neighbours back garden.  ;-)   
      
      
      
      
   > > When I can park the plane in the lower level of a   
   > > > multilevel underground parking garage get back to me.   
   > >   
   > > That one might be possible if a flying car can be a normal   
   > > car too. The cost of getting the wings stowed well enough   
   > > so it can operate like a normal car in the highest density   
   > > situations like a parking garage would be a real challenge tho.   
   >   
   > Again, such a future is a fool's dream.  Like I said, if I work on the   
   > 20th floor, it makes no sense for me to have a flying car that forces me   
   > land it and park some distance away, walk to my building, and then get   
   > in an elevator to get me back up into the sky.  That's stupid thinking   
   > that fails to actually do the world building exercises that create a   
   > believable future.   
      
   That's no different to you current car. The difference will (suposedly)   
   be in faster travel time.   
      
   Of course, with a flying car that can land and take-off vertically, you   
   could have roof-top parking garages (or even parking garage levels at   
   various point up the building), which would save time if your building   
   has only a few more floors over 20.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)